You will need to sign on with your LLLID (La Leche League ID) before you can post. If you have never claimed your LLLID, create your LLLID now. To sign in, click the LLLID Sign On button in the upper right corner. Enter your LLLID Alias and click the button again.

Re: My 9-month-old is still waking every 2 hours!!! Help...

Originally Posted by annie

Then I nurse him in my really comfortable glider rocker and usually fall asleep BINGO as soon as I get that oxytocin release

I am also falling asleep for night feedings. My dd is now 15mths old and still waking for nursing and I beleive that it is because I fall asleep so I'm not limiting night nursing. dd has not learned to fall asleep on her own. Just a little glimps into the future. Also "No Cry Sleep Solution" has really helped. I just have to stop falling asleep. Good luck.

Sara

Last edited by schhmom; October 1st, 2006 at 10:03 PM.
Reason: correct typo

Re: My 9-month-old is still waking every 2 hours!!! Help...

I feel for you! My ds is 9 1/2 (and 24 pounds) months and just started going for 4+ hours at a time. We just started a new "thing" out of sheer exhaustion and fear for safety. I work full time and am in grad-school. I only get about three or four hours of sleep a night, so I am often beyond exhaustion. Four nights ago (so new I am still counting ! he he), I was so tired I was afraid of dropping him from the rocker, because I was too tired to physically hold him, and I was afraid he would wake up and crawl/fall off the bed if we co-slept (like normal). So we laid on the floor next to his crib (that he had never slept a night in) and nursed, then I laid him in the crib and rubbed his back, feet and held hands and . . . after a little on and off whimpering, he fell asleep!!!! He stayed asleed for three hours! He used to cry hysterically if I put him down in the crib. That was a normal night's sleep for me, so when he awoke, we went to bed for another three or four hours!!! We are on our fourth night as I type, and each night has been longer. Two nights he even fell asleep w/o nursing, and that hasn't happened for about five months! Last night I acutally got eight hours of sleep! He only woke once!!! I NEVER thought this day would come. Just last week I thought I would have to drop school because I was just so exhausted and didn't think I could endure everything and needed to simplify my life somewhere. So don't give up hope!

And, if you are like me, I didn't have a moment to spare to read yet another book! I (dh actually) have also been letting him nap for longer periods during the day, which some say helps. I tried to get him to sleep earlier, but he would just wake more frequently.

Re: My 9-month-old is still waking every 2 hours!!! Help...

Sorry, it's been so long since I have posted. My dh and I are painting the exterior of our house ourselves. What fun it's been, while still taking care of a 9-month-old and a 26-month-old!

I'm glad to hear some of you are getting more sleep. My ds is actually making some progress. Last night he actually slep in his crib the whole night, and only woke up twice. For the past week to week and a half I've been putting him down in his crib and only bringing him into bed during the wee hours of the morning...usually when I physically can't lift him up for fear of dropping him. But, I've noticed that since he's not in bed with me, he's not waking as often.

I can actually soothe him back to sleep the first time he wakes, with just holding him, rubbing his back and shushing him. The second time he wakes is when he wants to nurse. So, this is what I've done and it seems to be working: Since my lo hates formula, bottles & sippy cups, I've introduced a bottle of formula at that wee hour feeding, knowing he's not going to take/like it. The first couple of nights he cried...a lot. The next couple of nights he woke and when I gave him the bottle he just pushed it away and fell back asleep. But, he's now starting to sleep through that feeding...he hates the bottle and is choosing not to wake for it.

I guess you have to be careful, obviously, if you don't want your lo on formula, then this might backfire on you. The hope is that they will continue to dislike the formula enough to sleep through. I got this idea from my mother-in-law who told me to put bitters in a bottle of water and give him that when he wakes up. Not wanting to give him something so strong, I chose formula and it seems to be working. I guess if you don't want to use formula, maybe try it with the bitters...maybe it will work quicker that it has for me!

Anyway, I'm a little more rested and I feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel. We're continuing to work on it and hopefully, he'll sleep through the night soon.